Reading Watchtower
by boaterV
Summary: Chloe gets a call that makes for an interesting afternoon.


Chloe sighed. As if she didn't already have enough to do. More and more she had been getting calls for assistance. Somehow information had gotten out about her wall of weird. Now random lunatics kept calling. Only problem was for every ten calls from crazy wanabee hunter looking for 'mutants' she got one call from a meta that actually needed her help.

That was why she hadn't changed the number and why on a sunny Saturday afternoon she was sitting in a less that clean coffee shop on the eastside of town waiting to meet some guy who claimed to need her help with a 'friend'.

She chuckled under her breath. It was so ridiculous. As if she couldn't see through that. Whatever. She would let him have his artifice. She of all people knew how hard it was to come to terms with the idea that you might not be as normal as everyone else.

She sipped the coffee in front of her. It was mediocre at best but the table was sitting on the street out in front and it was bathed in the late afternoon sun. She was lost in her thoughts when a man stepped into her sun. Turning she was momentarily blinded by the light.

"Miss Sullivan?" The voice was soft and gentle but Chloe couldn't help but wonder if he had picked the exact approach angle that left her most vulnerable.

"Mr. Ulrich?" She couldn't keep the smile completely off her lips. If he wanted to use a fake name that was understandable, and maybe if Lois, the queen of hair metal wasn't her cousin it would have slipped past her. But alas she was all to well schooled on Mr. Ulrich and his amazing drum sticks.

Snapping back to the present she stood to try and get a better look at her appointment. It didn't help much. Even in her usual heels he still towered over her. She shook his hand and motioned for the seat across from her before sitting back down.

"You said you might be able to help?" Chloe nodded as the waitress appeared and took his order. She stayed a little longer than she should have, leaned in a little too close. Not that Chloe could blame her. Now, not blinded by the sun, she could see his face. He was handsome in that boy next door way that Clark had. His shy smile and floppy hair distracting you from his size.

As the waitress wandered off smitten Chloe realized he hadn't even noticed her. "Tell me about your friend."

"I have to be honest. It isn't about a friend." Chloe only raised her eyebrows. "Which you already knew." He shook his head and laughed. She wasn't fooled. "I'm sorry it's just we don't trust very easily."

"We?" She waited for him to fill in the details.

"My partner and I. We ran into a problem outside of town. My partner was exposed to the green rocks. He seems to have developed a strange ability."

"Was it a one time exposure?"

"Yes. He was cut, bleeding and fell into a ditch with them."

"Is this ability unwanted?" Chloe's curiosity was kicking in.

"God yes." Chloe couldn't help but smile at his tone. "He can read minds."

She did laugh at that before she felt the shiver of fear run up her spine. She had too many secrets to be in a room with a mind reader. "One time exposure usually wears off. You need to keep him away from the rocks. Make sure he isn't exposed again."

"You're sure?" He looked so desperate.

"There of lots of things I know nothing about and only a few I consider myself an expert on. The rocks are one of the latter." She sipped her coffee and watched the relief wash over him. "Give it some time. In the mean while there are some basic blocking techniques you can use to hide your thoughts."

"Yeah I know all the about them. The problem is he knows me way too well, he breaks through them in seconds." He smiled and Chloe found herself nodding in understanding. It was obvious whoever this partner was he meant a lot to him.

Chloe moved to get up. Pulling some money out of her pocket and tossing it on the table. "He'll be fine." She used her best mother hen tone. Offering one last smile she walked away. Had it been anything else she might have asked him to come in so Emil could give him a good once over but a mind reader couldn't be risked. Too many secrets. Too many lives. She would just have to use watchtower to track him from a far and hope she hadn't lied to him.

She was safely back in watchtower. Seated in her chair in front off all of her computers. Inputting all the details she had learned from her meeting. Following her lunch date. Tracking him back to the ramshackle motel he was staying at. A quick check of the registration log revealed nothing new. Another alias. Her curiosity piqued again.

What had these men been doing when they had come into contact with the meteor rocks? Luther had mined everywhere. Stockpiling them for him private war. The only good thing he had done. The chances of stumbling upon a pile of them had gone down drastically. Decreasing the chances of unsuspecting infection.

Although she would never thank the soulless bastard she would be glad for less metas. In recent years she had learned that didn't all go crazy. Didn't all get drunk on the power but it was still far too likely the outcome.

Her merry little band of men could always use more members but the risks were too high.

Typing she set up and algorithm to track their movements and set the facial recognition. Scouring the security tape she easily found his partner. It was from three days ago when they had arrived in town.

She watched as Mr. Ulrich jumped out of the car. Running around to the passenger side he helped out a shorter man. One obviously injured. Chloe watched as he helped the man into the room. Turning to look out into the night before he closed the door Chloe paused the screen. The pain and worry etched on the man's face spoke of a connection between the two. Something that was deep. It could explain his lack of interest in the waitress.

She would keep an eye on them. She would watch them till she was sure they weren't a threat. Checking a few more parameters she shut down the system. She was hungry and the bistro on the corner was serving her favorite tonight. Grabbing her purse she headed for the door.

She was halfway down the street before she felt the familiar tickle. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing at attention. Someone was following her.

Turning down an alley she pretended to need something out of her purse. Wrapping her hand around the grip of her baby glock she switched off the safety.

"I know you know I'm here." The voice was dark but there was a hint of amusement. As if her found her attempt to protect herself amusing. "Not amusing. Only pointless."

She eased her hand off the gun. Turning slowly to face the voice. "The partner I presume." She sighed as she got a good look at him. A strong jaw covered in stubble held a soft mouth that turned up in a sexy smirk leaving crinkles at the corned of a pair of too sexy eyes. All the good ones always were.

He growled low and dangerous and Chloe took a step back. She tried to think of nothing but that was impossible instead turning her thoughts to coffee, listing her favorite beans by region.

He took two steps forward. The anger fading and the smirk returning. Chloe took two steps back. An imagine of him pressing her into the dirty wall of the alley jumping into her mind before she could school it.

"Not gay." He took another step forward and it took a moment for her mind to process the information. "Why do people always assume that?" She just shook her head. Unable to look away as he continued to moved towards her. "He's my not so little brother."

"Oh." Chloe tried concentrating on coffee again but her thoughts kept running back to his mouth. How would it taste?

"Would you like to find out?" Crap. Crap. Crap. Her mind screamed yes before she could stop it. He leaned in and she realized to late she couldn't back up anymore. She had reached the wall. He brought his arms up and trapped her.

Scream and he'll hear you. "Who will hear you? There's no one here but us." Chloe tried to imagine a wall. Large with bricks and thick. So thick it could never fall. Could never be penetrated. "Sam keeps trying that too. Want to know a secret?"

She didn't move. Didn't breath. Just kept her focus on the wall. Imagining every detail. The color, the texture. Every detail. She needed to protect… everyone.

He chuckled darkly at her renewed effort and leaned in closer. Chloe could feel his warm breath on her lips, her eyes closing as the wall crumbled. Replaced by him. The smell of leather and gun oil. The sound of his breathing, the dark timber of his voice. The gold flecks in his green eyes. She had time to form one last thought before his lips were on her.

Teasing and tentative at first until she was ready to beg for more. She felt him shift, his body suddenly flush against her, pressing her into the wall. His lounge demanding entrance into the warm wet heat of her mouth.

Chloe found her arms gripping the lapels of his jacket and pulling his closer while she enjoyed the heated kiss. Her breath coming in raged gasps. He pulled back slightly to look at her. Cheeks flushed. " I like it when you're only thinking about me."

His breath was a whisper against her lips. She concentrated on the warmth. Smiling up at him she imagined what it would be like to be under him. Naked and writhing.

He smirked and then she slammed the tiny piece of gold meteor rock against his chest. He gasped and fell backwards. Chloe moved in just as his partner came around the corner. Pulling a gun he moved towards his unconscious brother. She could see the familiar resemblance now. The way they walked. The tilt of their head.

"What the hell did you do?"

"Cured him Sam." Chloe watched as his faced recognized shock at her words. "He'll be fine. One heck of a headache when he wakes up though."

"what about waiting?"

"Waiting works but this works faster and well, mind reading is just a bit too dangerous." She smiled brightly and tried really hard not to think about how her pulse was still racing. As much as she might try to convince herself it was from the subterfuge the memory of his lips… Her heart skipped a beat and she remembered her rule about not lying to herself.

How ridiculous. She didn't even have his name. She turned when the giant man leaned down over his brother and walked out of the alley. Turning back towards watchtower she vanished without another word.

She woke the next morning gasping. Skin slick with sweat and heart racing. Her dreams had been haunted. Dark hazel eyes and strong hands. His name on her tongue. Dean, over and over again.

How did she know his name?

The end.

AN I might come back to this. Maybe.

I think I need some persuading though.

Reviews Please!


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